Age verification at that layer would not function without some form of credentialing. Courts have struck down earlier efforts to impose age verification requirements for online content on First Amendment grounds, citing the chilling effect on lawful expression and adult access. The coalition’s letter suggests that state attorneys general are not retreating from that position and are instead seeking federal backing. The attorneys general warn that this would curb their ability to pursue emerging online harms under state law. Whether framed as child protection or platform accountability, the architecture contemplated by S. 1748 would move identity verification closer to the heart of internet access.